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Photo Courtesy of Eagles Nation on X. Photo Courtesy of Eagles Nation on X.
LeBron James isn’t just the oldest, active player in the NBA. He’s also the oldest player that the Sixers have ever signed. It’s a good sign for the longevity of modern medicine for top Philadelphia professional talent like twenty-nine year old Saquon Barkley — who is entering his third season with the Eagles after signing a $41.2 million contract extension after the Eagles won Super Bowl LIX.
In the NFL — age 30 is considered by many to be a declining point for running backs. And if the Eagles are going to be successful in 2026 — they’ll need to have Barkley as a key piece of Sean Mannion’s offensive scheme. Two years ago — in the fall of 2024 — the Eagles and turned to their nearly $38 million feature running back to be the focal point of the offense. The result — a Super Bowl Championship for Philadelphia.
Now — the Eagles running back room could be key to challenging for another one. And it doesn’t need to mean that Saquon Barkley needs thirty touches a game in order to win.
With AJ Dillon now a Carolina Panther — the Eagles will rely on Tank Bigsby — who they acquired in September of 2025 in return for sending a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2026 sixth-round pick to Jacksonville. Bigsby will be looking to improve on his 344 yards and two scores last season and to compete with third-year player Will Shipley from Clemson for the backup role.
Most NFL rookies don’t get the opportunity to make an impact in the NFC Championship Game. However, as we found out two years ago, the Eagles don’t have just any rookies. While Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell were locking down Washington receivers and frustrating Jayden Daniels in the second half of the 2025 NFC Championship Game in South Philly, another Eagles rookie was making his presence felt.
Rookie running back Will Shipley, after forcing a fumble and helping to provide the Eagles with excellent field position on Special Teams, broke free for a 57-yard run in the fourth quarter. When he was tackled on the six-yard line, there was little question who would punch the ball in for paydirt two plays later.
Behind Will Shipley are two other NFL talents acquired by the Eagles in the offseason. Eli Mitchell was a 6th Round Draft Selection in 2021 by the San Francisco 49ers out of Louisiana University at Lafayette. His almost immediate impact was a nearly 1,000 yard rookie regular season and a playoff contributor while the 49ers advanced to the NFC Championship Game. But after a hamstring injury he was released in 2024. After brief stints with the Chiefs and Patriots — he now joins the Eagles.
Damien Pierce was selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans out of the University of Florida where he rushed for nearly 2,000 yards as a Gator. After three and a half seasons in Houston — he also signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2025 and is now an Eagle.
The Eagles running game by committee may not only be the key to a healthy Saquon Barkley in January. It may be the key to a balanced, offensive approach that gets the Eagles through January and to a Super Bowl appearance in February of 2026.
Exactly where this offense should be.
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